Out There (Review)

OUT THERE

To start off, I would like to say a very big thankyou to director Randal Plunkett for sending me the link to his short film “Out There”. The film is a 16 minute short about a man who wakes up in the woods with no memory of how he got there. He searches for answers but all he is left with are more questions. Conor Marren and Emma Eliza Regan play Robert and Jane.

To be honest I have only watched a handful of short films, most of which were a part of various anthology films. This is one of the first true, stand alone short films I have watched. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. This looks and sounds amazing. Majority of it is shot in the woods and what appears to be private property. The camera work is very personal but at the same time there is real dedication to everything in the background of the frame. It’s most visually impressive attribute is that it uses natural light and everything is shot during the day. This is something you don’t see in films of this nature. The score is fantastic it mixes both suspenseful bass and some really effective sounds to build the tension.

The flashbacks to past events were quiet helpful in getting the connection between our main characters. I thought Conor did a fantastic job of the acting considering the film’s success relies mostly on his performance. The accident was very well shot considering the budget here is very small. I couldn’t help but think no one takes their eyes off the road for that long… but I suppose I can forgive that due to the development of the story.

I want to make special mention of the makeup and prosthetic effects. I thought they were really top-notch. I had no idea the direction the story was going to take, this includes the very ending. It’s not often something in the horror/thriller genre delivers that. I definitely didn’t expect to find it in a short film.

What Randal has created here, is a wonderful atmospheric, beautifully shot film that takes you on a real ride. This is only 16 minutes long but it achieves plenty in that short space of time. I can’t fault this gem of a film, by the end I was thinking I could have watched it for another hour. That’s the sign of a great short film. This is a solid building block for a full length feature and I for one can’t wait to see it!